Retaliating two days after Tehran said it attacked the bases of another group within Pakistani territory.

This eyewitness video, verified by Reuters, shows the aftermath of Thursday's strike in a village near Saravan, close to Iran's border with Pakistan.

Iranian media said several missiles killed at least nine people, including four children.

The neighbors have had rocky ties in the past, but these strikes are the highest-profile cross-border intrusions in recent years.

They add to growing concerns about instability in the Middle East since the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas erupted on October 7.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, spokesperson for Pakistan's foreign ministry, said a number of what she called "terrorists" were killed.

"This morning's action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large-scale terrorist activities against Pakistan by these terrorists."

"Iran is a brotherly country. And the people of Pakistan have great respect and affection for the people of Iran."

Other official statements stressed Iran's sovereignty, showing a desire to keep the spat contained, analysts say.

But there are fears it could get out of hand.

A senior Pakistani security official told Reuters the military would meet any "misadventure" from the Iranian side forcefully.

Tehran strongly condemned the strikes, saying civilians were killed, and summoned Pakistan's charge d'affaires for an explanation.

Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said those killed were non-Iranian citizens.

A Pakistani military statement said the targets were bases used by the Baloch Liberation Front, which is waging an armed insurgency against the Pakistani state, and the associated Baloch Liberation Army.

Iran said on Tuesday it had hit targets inside Pakistan that it alleged were bases of Jaish al Adl.

That's another ethnically Baloch group, but with Sunni Islamist leanings that mostly Shi'ite Iran sees as a threat.

Islamabad recalled its ambassador from Iran in protest against a "blatant breach" of its sovereignty.

Iran had been flexing its muscles in the region, even before its cross-border incursion into Pakistan.

It launched strikes on Syria against what Tehran said were Islamic State sites and Iraq, where it said it had struck an Israeli espionage center.

But until the latest exchange, the neighbors had appeared to be improving ties.